Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Very sad. This wonderful series broadcast it's final episode in January, 2015. It will be missed. Detective Chief Superintendent Christopher Foyle (played by Michael Kitchen) came out of retirement due to the manpower shortage brought on by World War II. He fights black-marketeers and Nazi spies (Seasons 1-5) After the war, he is recruited by MI-5, Britain's Intelligence Service, for the Cold War (Seasons 6-8). Fortunately for us, he can't drive, so he employs the plucky Samantha Stewart as his driver (played by Honeysuckle Weeks).. One consolation: Acorn has issued this new absolutely complete box. All eight seasons in four multi-disc DVD cases, which fit into a cardboard slipcase - very handsome + it includes all special features from the earlier editions. (no new features) Based on my experience, there are two drawbacks: Drawback No. 1 = Seasons 1-5 have Closed Captioning ("cc" symbol on the back of the cases for Seasons 1-5). Seasons 6-8 have English SDH Subtitles (superior technology). -- "Closed Captioning" is a forty year-old technology devised for broadcast television. In order to see the closed captioning, press the "Captioning " button on your TELEVISION'S remote control while the disc is playing. One major problem: "Closed Captioning " will not work if your DVD or Blu-Ray player is connected to the TV using modern HDMI cable. It will only work with the older three plug (red-white-yellow) cable (or with ancient 75 ohm coaxial cable). But only HDMI cable will allow you to see the full 1080 mega-pixels of Hi-Definition TV. If you use the older cable, you will get Closed Captioning, but the TV picture will be compromised (fewer pixies can squeeze through the old cable). -- "SDH Subtitles" were designed specifically for DVD. When you load the disc, the Disc Menu gives you the option of Subtitles, or you can press the "Subtitle" button on your DVD PLAYER'S remote control. "SDH Subtitles" work fine with any cable - cutting edge or obsolete. Recent reviews confirm my suspicion that Acorn did not go to the expense of authoring new English SDH Subtitles for Seasons 1-5. But instead stuck with the existing "closed captioning". I already own the Acorn Season 1-6 DVD Box (see below). It uses Closed Captioning for Seasons 1-5 and SDH Subtitles for Season 6. I then bought Seasons 7 and 8 on Blu-Ray with English SDH Subtitles. No foreign language subtitles. Drawback No. 2 = Apparently the complete Season 1-8 box will be available on DVD only. Seasons 7 and 8 were previously issued on Blu-Ray - and at a lower price than the equivalent DVDs (Strange: No Blu-Rays in Great Britain, but the entire series was issued on Blu-Ray in Australia). OPTION: [hint: for ease of navigation, read the review through to the end, then come back and click on the links.] The new complete Season 1-8 box currently sells for $100 (29 discs). If you are new to the series, you might consider buying it. (the lowest price has varied a lot recently - from $90 to $130). But also consider the following option - Especially if you have a Blu-Ray player: Buy the Season 1-6 box: Foyle's War: The Homefront Files, Sets 1-6 = $76 new (six DVD cases with original artwork slide into a cardboard slipcase). Then buy Seasons 7 and 8 on Blu-Ray. Pretty much of a draw financially, but you will get a superior picture for the final two seasons. P.S. I had some time on my hands, so I created a list of my all-time favorite British Police Inspectors. See the Comment dated September 21, 2015. ------------------------------------------------------------- Single seasons of"Foyle's War" All prices quoted are the least expensive Amazon price (new) as of September 2015. Foyle's War: Set 1 (The German Woman / The White Feather / A Lesson In Murder / Eagle Day) = $24 Foyle's War, Set 2 = $20 Foyle's War, Set 3 = $15 Foyle's War, Set 5 = $16 Foyle's War: Set 6 = $21 (SDH subtitles begin with Series 6) Foyle's War: Set Seven [Blu-ray] = $28 DVD / $22 Blu-Ray (Blu-Ray option begins with Series 7) Foyle's War, Set 8 [Blu-ray] = $26 DVD / $21 Blu-Ray